Breech-operating mechanism for ordnance.



No. 856,653. PATENTBD JUNE II 1907.- S. N. MOGLEAN. BRBEGH OPERATING MECHANISM FOR ORDNANCE.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 17, 1902.

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S. N. MOGLEAN.

PATBN TED JUNE 11, 1907.

BRBBGH OPERATING MECHANISM FOR. ORDNANGE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 17, 1902.

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PA'I ENTED JUNE 11, 1907.

s. N. 'MOCLEAN. i BRBEGH OPERATING ,MEGHANISM FOR ORDNANGE. APPLICATION IILBD JUNE 17, 1902.

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WITNESSES.-

UNTTE STATES PATENT OEETGE.

SAMUEL N. MOOLEAN, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE McCLEAN ARMS AND ORDNANCE COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORA- TION OF NEW JERSEY.

BREECH-OPERATING MECHANISM FOR ORDNANCE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 11, 1907.

Application filed June 17, 1902. Serial No. 112,085.

1"!) (ZZZ whom, it pea/y concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL N McOLEAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Breech Operating Mechanism for Ordnance, which invention is fully set forth in the following specification.

This invention relates to breech loading ordnance, and more especially to the automatic or semi-automatic type of ordnance in which the energy due to the discharge of the gun is utilized to operate the gun, open and close the breech and perform like functions.

In my Patents No. 715,839, granted Dec. 16, 1902, No. 783,127, granted Feb. 21, 1905, and No. 800,757, granted Oct. 3d, 1905, I have described and claimed several combinations of breech block and motors for operating the same, the energy for actuating the motor being obtained from any suitable source, but preferably the energy due to the discharge of the gun is utilized for this purose.

P The object of the present invention is to simplify the construction and operation of the breech mechanism and its motor and the means for operatively connecting the motor to the breech mechanism, to the end that the manufacturing and machining processes may be rendered simple and easily performed, the cost of manufacture reduced, and the efficiency, reliability and durability of the gun increased.

In my said Patent No. 800,757, I have shown a construction in which a suitable carrier and the breech block coact as a motor to operate the breech mechanism, and in the form chosen for illustration in said applications the energy actuating the motor is due to the discharge of the gun, and is stored or confined in the brake cylinder, whence it is conducted to the motor, suitable valve mechanism being employed to control the application of the energy.

The present invention consists of improvements in the specific construction of the devices described in said applications, and in the elimination of the valve mechanism between the source of motive fluid and the motor.

The particular features constituting the invention will be hereinafter described and then pointed out in the claims.

The inventive ideas involved may receive various mechanical expressions, one of which I have shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a rear elevation, and Fig. 2 is a side elevation of my improved breech mechanism, Fig. 3 shows the retaining catch or sear in elevation, in vertical section and in lan; Fig. 4 is a vertical-cross-section on the ine 44, Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on the line 55, Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a hori zontal section, showing the construction of the recoil cylinder with the parts in firing position; and Fig. 7 is a like view with the parts in full recoil position; Fig. 8 is a rear elevation, and Fig. 9 a plan of a ring secured to and forming a art of the breech block Fig. 10 is a rear e evation, and Fig. 11 is a side elevation of a ring and its attached abutment secured to and forming a part of the carrier; Fig. 12 is a top plan, Fig. 13 a side elevation, and Fig. 14 a bottom Iplan of the carrier pintle. Fig. 15 is a bro en central section of the same; Fig. 16 is a top plan, and Fig. 17 is a side elevation of the packing used in connection with the pintle. Fig. 18 is a top plan, and Fig. 19 is a side elevation of the firing pin. Fig. 20 shows the sear in plan and in side elevation. Fig. 21 shows, in bottom plan, and side elevation, the nut on the bottom of the carrier pintle. Fig. 22 shows, in plan and side elevation, the handle for operating the breech block by hand.

Referring to the drawings, 1 is a slide or way in which the gun 2 rests and in which it is free to move back and forth. This slide 1 may be mounted on any suitable support, as a gun carriage or deck stand, (not shown), and in the case chosen for illustration, has two side grooves 3 and 4 in which ribs 5 and 6 on the gun engage and are free to slide. A lug 7 rigidly secured to and depending from the gun is attached to one or more piston rods, each carrying a piston in a suitable recoil cylinder filled with a fluid, as oil. A single piston and cylinder might be employed if desired, but in the present instance I have shown two pistons 8 and 9 secured to hollow piston rods 10 and 11 respectively,

and playing back and forth within the cylinders 12 and 13,which cylinders are connected at each end by suitable pipes'or passages 14 and 15, so that in fact the two cylinders constitute a single chamber.

When the gun is fired the pistons 8 and 9 move rearward with the gun and during the first part of therecoil the oil on the rear sides of the pistons escapes to the front end of the cylinders through any suitable by-pass or channel, as the passages 16, 17. During the intermediate portion of the recoil, however, the oil is forced to flow from the rear to the front side of the pistons via the hollow piston rod 11, the motor for operatingthe breech block, and the hollow piston rod 10'; and during the terminal part of the recoilthe oil passes from the front to the rearof' the pistons by way of by-passes or channels 18 and 19. This constructionenables me'to retain the breech closed during the first part of the recoil and open it during the intermediate part of the recoil. The importance of this lies in the fact that the breech is not opened until the gases of discharge have largely escaped from the gun; and on the other hand there can be no failure of the re coil movement to open the breech in case of light charges and limited recoil.

The breech block 20 and the carrier 21 cooperate as a motor to operate the block and carrier, the motive fluid for said motor being drawn from the recoil cylinder.

The gun has a lug 22 projecting at the breech end and forming one member of a hinge, the other members being composedof' the cars 23 and 24 on the carrier and embracing the lug 22 on the gun, while a pintle 25 is screwed into or otherwise fixed to the lug 22. The carrier 21 is hinged to and turns around this pintle in opening and closing the breech. The carrier embraces the rearwardly pro-' jecting end 26 of the breech block and also a rearwardly projecting annulus or ring 27. For convenience in construction this ring 27 is made separate from the block, and then secured thereto in any convenient manner, as by driving it tightly into a groove in the rear face of the block, as shown in Fig. 5. This ring has an interiorly projecting block or part 28 (Figs. 4 and 8) serving as a piston in the operation of the motor, as will be described later on. On the exterior of said ring 27 and extending around aportion of the circumference thereof, are worm .teeth 29 which co-act with corresponding teeth 30 formed on the lug 22 for swinging the carrier around the pintle 25 to open and close the breech. This ring 27 and that portion of the carrier surrounding the rearwardly projecting part 26 of the breech block form an annular motor chamber 27 a within which the block 28 moves as a piston, the motor fluid reacting between said piston and a stationary abutment 31, projecting from the carrier into the motor chamber. For convenience of manufacture this abutment 31 is not attached directly to the central inwardly projecting portion of the carrier, but is secured to a ring 32 in any suitable manner and the ring 32 is then slipped loosely over the inwardly projecting part of the carrier.

In order to prevent the abutment from moving in the chamber 27 thus formed on the rear of the block, a screw plug 33, (Fig. 1,) having a conical point, is inserted through the rear wall of the carrier and enters a corresponding depression 34, in the abutment. This depression has one side wall cut away for a portion of its-depth, so that when the screwplug 33 is partly withdrawn the abutment is free to move.

For the purpose of manipulating the block by hand, a lever handle 35 is secured to its rearwardly projecting portion 26, Fig. 5, and when the screw-plug 33 is I partially withdrawn from engagement with the abutment, the block can be easily and freely rotated by turning the handle 35. When the abutment is returned to its original position, the projecting screw-plug 33 acts as a stop to insure the abutment coming to rest in position for the depression 34 to be engaged by the said plug. This screw-plug 33 is operated by means of a handle 36 on the outside of the carrier, the said handle indicating by its position-whether the parts are in position for automatic or hand operation.

The motor fluid is conducted from the recoil cylinder to the motor chamber, to open the breech, by way of hollow piston rod 11,

pipe 37 connecting the piston rodto the passage 38, (Fig; 15,) in pintle 25, and thence by way of channel39, formed in the upper hinge member and rear wall of the carrier, (Fig. 5) to the motor chamber 27, without the necessity for any interposing valve mechanism whatever. The motor fluid reacts between abutment 31 and piston 28, and turns the latter to the left, as indicated by the arrows, Fig. 4, thereby turning and unlocking the breech block, and, by reason of the engagement of the worm teeth 29 with the corresponding teeth 30 on the inner face of the bracket 22, also swinging the carrier from left to right to open the breech. During this movement of the piston 28, the fluid in the motor chamber 27 returns to the recoil cylinders in front of the pistons, the fluid making its exit from the chamber 27 at 40, and passing thence via channel 41, formed in the walls of the carrier and shown in dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 4, to the passage 42, in the pintle, (Fig. 15) and thence via pipe 43, and piston rod 10, to the cylinder.

For the purpose of maintaining connection between passages 38 and 42 in the car rier during the turningmovements of the latter, that portion of said channels formed housed in a cavity or rec in the hinge members 28 and on the carrier is extended or elongated for some distance around the pintle, so that the turning movements of the carrier do not throw said channels out of register with. the passages in the pintle. To guard against leall e a ring 43 is screwed onto the upper end of tnepintle, (Fi s. 4, 16 and 17) so as to con'line a lead pacIring in a channel 46 between said ring 43 and the upper surface of the hinge member 23. An opening 45, is made into the channel 46, and this opening is closed with screw plug 47. When the packing has become worn the plug 47 is removed. a snial amount of lead inserted in the operung and the plug screwed down, thereby placing the packing under renewed pressure. The lower end of the pintle is provided with a cap 48, (Figs. 4 and 21) screwed onto the lower projecting end of the pintle, and having a similar lead washer. This cap 48 has two channels 49 and 50, Fig. 21, formed therethrough, to which the pipes 37 and 43 are connected on the outside, and the passages 88 and 12 of the pintle on the inside of the cap. These pintle passages 38, 42, may be oil any convenient shape in cross section, but for convenience in machining the parts I prefer to make them of the cross section shown in Fig. 1d.

The usual firing pin passage 51 is formed axially in the breech block and has a sleeve 52 at its rear end which forms the abutment for the firingpin spring 53, and has a lateral slot 54, through which an arm 55, on the firing pin 56, projects and engages cam 57 on the carrier, which cam is so arranged that when the breech block is turncc i. from right to left to open the breech the cam acts on the arm 55 on thefiring pin to force the pin rearward, in which position the sear 58, pivoted onthe pin, has its nose forced into en age ment with the sear notch 59 on the block by the sear spring 60, said spring being housed in the firing pin. When it is desired to cock the pin by hand this may be done by means of the finger hook 61 on the pin projecting to the rear.

With the gun constructed and op -1 as described tne breech will l gun is in its rearward position and t c the motor fluid through the motor versed and close the breech as the gun moves forward under the ac n of the spr springs in the recoil cylinder. In order that the gun may be loaded while the breech is open, any suitable means maybe employed to retain the gun in its reai d po have shown a latch 62, 111 um r way and engaging a no when the latter has bee said latch being actuati Zand 3). After the gu is released by means or a iev- I which actuates a shalt turmng in suitable bearings and having a pin 65, Fig. 3, engaging the latch to withdraw it and permit the gun to move forward to firing position, during which movement the breech is closed by the motor fluid being forced through the motor in the reverse direction to that in which it moved to open the breech.

In the terminal part of its movement as it swings to one side to open the breech, cams 66 on the hinge of the carrier strike the tail of the ejector lever 67, pivoted in a slot in the breech as shown, and cause it to turn sharply on its axis and eject the empty cartridge shell.

As a matter of precaution against premature opening of the breech, I may employ a device retaining the block in its locked position until the proper time for opening it. This locking device is not essential, but n'iay be employed as a. precautionary measure ll desired. I have shown one form of such. a device in Fig. 1, in the shape of a springpressed catch 68 on the gun, one end of which engages a notch in the bloc when the latter is locked and. the gun is in firing position. The outer end of this catch projects from the gim and has a lug or pin 69 thereon which engages with a movable part (not shown) of the gun, to withdraw the catch 68 from engagement with the block at the desired moment. The catch 68 may, obviously, be actuated by hand.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1.. The combination of a source of motive fluid, with a breech block, an annular channel contained in the breech mechanism and surrounding the rear of said block for the flow of said fluid to operate the block, an abutment in said channel, and a part attached to said block in said channel and in the path of the fluid. I

2. A breech block, an annular channel contained in the breech mechanism and surrounding the rear of said block for the flow ol motive fluid to operate the block, an abutment in said channel, a source of motive fluid connected with the opposite ends cl said channel, and a part movable in said. channel attached to the block.

3. A breech block, an annular channel contained in the breech mechanism and surrounding the rear of said block for the flow oi motive fluid to operate the block, an abutment in said channel, a source of motive fluid connected with the opposite ends of said channel, and means controlling the direction of the flow of the fluid through said channel.

4. The combination of a source of motive fluid, with a breech block, an annular channel contained in the breech mechanism and surrounding the rear oi said. block for the flow of said fluid to operate the block, an abutment in said channel, said source of fluid. being at all times in unobstructed. communication with said channel, and a movable part in said channel and secured to the breech block.

5. A breech block, an annular channel contained in the breech mechanism and surrounding the rear of said block for the flow of motive fluid to operate the block, an abut ,ment in said channel, a movable part connected with the breech block and projecting into said channel, a motive fluid put under pressure by the guns discharge, and means conducting said fluid to said channel.

6. A breech block, an annular channel surrounding the rear of said block for the flow of a motive fluid to operate the block, an abutment in said channel, a part secured to the breech block and movable in said channel, a motive fluid put under pressure by the guns discharge, means conducting said fluid to said channel, and means controlling the direction of flow of said fluid through said channel.

7 A breech block, a channel for the flow of a motive fluid to operate the block, an

abutment therein, a part attached to the breech block and movable in said channel, a recoil cylinder containing a motive fluid and a piston, and means connecting said channel with said cylinder on opposite sides of said piston.

8. A breech block, a channel for the flow of a motive fluid to operate the block, a movable part in said chamiel attached to said block, a normally stationary abutment in said channel, means releasing said abut- 'ment to permit it to move in said channel,

and means conducting motive fluid to said channel.

9. A breech block, a channel for the flow of motive fluid to operate the block, an abutment therein, a p art movable in said channel and attached to the block, a source of motive fluid, a pintle on which the block swings, and a passage from the source of motive fluid to said channel through said pintle.

10. In a gun, the combination of the breech mechanism, a motor for operating the same,

a recoil cylinder, and an uninterrupted-passage for the motor fluid from the'cylinder through the motor, and back to the cylinder. 11. In a gun, the combination of the breech mechanism, a motor for operating the same, a recoil cylinder, an uninlcrruptod passage from, one end of the cylinder to the motor, and a like passage from the motor to the other end of the cylinder.

'12. In a gun, the combination ol. the breech mechanism, a motor lor operating the same,

a recoil cylinder containing a motive fluid, a

recoil-actuated piston moving in said cylinder, a by-pass from the rear to the front of the piston While it is in the front end of the cylinder, and a passage for the motive fluid from the rear of the piston to the front thereof through said. motor alter sai d by-pass has been passed 13. In a gun, the combination of the breech mechanism, a motor for operating the same, areeoil cylinder containing a motive fluid, a piston moving in said cylinder, a passage for the motive fluid around said piston through said motor, and a bypass around said piston independent of the motor When the piston is in either'end portion of the cylinder.

14L In a gun, the combination of the breech mechanism, and its operating motor, with a recoil cylinder containing a motive fluid, a piston moving therein, a by-pass around said piston independent of the motor when in either endportion of said cylinder, and an intermediate portion of said cylinder without any by-pass, and communicating with the motor.

15. The combination of the breech mechanism and its operating motor with a recoil cylinder and its piston, said cylinder having a by-pass around said piston only when the latter is in the end portions thereof, and connections between the intermediate part of the cylinder and the motor.

16. In a gun, the combination of the breech mechanism and its operating motor, a pintle on the gun around which said mechanism swings, a recoil cylinder containing a motive fluid, and an unobstructed, passage from the cylinder to the motor through said pintle.

17. In a gun the combination of the breech I mechanism and its operating motor, a pintle on the gun around which said mechanism swings, a recoil cylinder containing a motive fluid, an unobstructed passage from the cylinder to the motor and a vent from the motor to the cylinder, the passage and the vent both passing through said pintle.

18. The combination of the breech block and carrier coacting as a motor, a pintle on the gun having a passage for motor fluid therethrough, a hinge member on the carrier embracing the pintle-and having a channel in free communication with the passage in: the pintle in all positions of the carrier.

19. The combination of the breech block and a carrier coacting as a motor, a recoil cylinder containing a motor fluid, a pintle around which the carrier swings, an unobstructed passage through the pintle to the motor, and a hollow piston rod connected to the recail cylinder and. the passage in the pintle.

20. In a gun, the combination of a breech block, two rings of different diameters and one Within the other on the rear race of the block, a carrier nclosing said rings and forming amotor chamber between them, means securing one of said rlngs to the block and the "other to the carrier, an abutment 1n sald chamber secured to one ring and a piston secured to the other rlng, and means conductinga motive fluid to said chamber.

22. The combination of a breech block and carrier coacting as a motor, an abutment in the motor chamber detachably secure to the carrier, a piston in said chamber secured to the block, and a handle for manipulating said block independent of the motor.

23. The combination of a brew all i and carrier coacting as a motor chain. o a piston in said motor chamber, a recoil cylinder, a piston and a motor fluid t'i'ierein, an unobstructed passage from the front of the recoil piston to one side of the motor piston, and another unobstructed passage from the rear of the recoil piston to-the other side of the motor piston, whereby the recoil of the gun opens the breech and the counter-recoil closes it.

In testimony whereof I have signed this" specification in the presence of tWo subscribmg Witnesses.

SAMUEL N. MGOLEAN.

Witnesses:

S. T. CAMERON, GUSTAVE R. THOMPSON. 

